Just In: Ahiara Diocese Gets New Bishop As Okpalaeke Resigns

The Bishop of the crisis-ridden Catholic Diocese of Ahiara, Most Revd (Dr) Peter Okpalaeke, has resigned his appointment.

The Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, has however appointed Most Revd Lucius Ugorji, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia, as the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese.

The development is contained in a terse statement released by the Director of Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Revd Fr Chris Anyanwu, on the sideline of the ongoing first 2018 plenary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.

Anyanwu said: “Following the resignation of Most Revd Peter Okpalaeke as the Bishop of Ahaira Diocese, as a result of the crisis that has lingered for nearly six years in that diocese, His Holiness, Pope Francis, has today appointed Most Rev Lucius Ugorji, the Bishop of Umuahia, as the Apostolic Administrator of Ahaira Diocese.”

Anyanwu added that the appointment of Ugorji is with immediate effect.

However, the Catholic Church did not disclose when Opkalaeke tendered his resignation letter to the Vatican